Chapter Fifteen
A/N The last one was scary, no? The song in this chapter is 'Wake Me Up Inside' by Evanescence.
In the morning, Araminta got up early so she could spend some time with Fawkes-Iolanthe. Fawkes-Iolanthe was more than just Araminta's pet phoenix, she carried her mail and translated it into different languages so she could have penpals all over the world.
"Come here, love." Araminta brushed Fawkes-Iolanthe's feathers, and cuddled her to her breast. "Shall we sing?"
Fawkes-Iolanthe fluttered to her perch and spread her wings, signaling that she was ready to begin. She tipped her head back and made an accompaniment sing forth from her throat.
"Oldies again?" Araminta sighed. "Oh, all right." She began to sing along.
How can you see into my eyes
Like open doors?
Leading you down into me core
Where I've become so numb...
Without a soul ,
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back
Home.
Wake me up inside,
Wake me up inside,
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run
Before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become
Araminta stopped. She had had the vague feeling that she didn't belong, that she'd been having nightmares all night, and Fawkes-Iolanthe always picked a song that matched her mood somehow. "I don't want to sing this anymore," she said.
She tossed Fawkes-Iolanthe a phoenix treat and walked to the window. Maybe she would practice her Animagus skills. She popped into unicorn form and back a few times before growing bored with that.
Breakfast wasn't for another fifteen minutes. Araminta took out her schedule and looked at it carefully. She'd start the morning with Charms, then History of Magic before lunch. Next was the Astronomy lecture and a flying lesson. Bor-ing.
Araminta danced around the room a little--she was a good enough ballerina to have gone to Covent Garden, but she wanted to be a witch instead--then fixed her hair and makeup. Packing up her things in her schoolbag, she headed to breakfast.
After a big stack of waffles, Blake and Selene hurried in just in time for a glass of pumpkin juice. "Hurry, or we'll be late," said Araminta said, exasperated. "Why are you two so late?"
Blake and Selene exchanged secret glances. "Oh, no reason. No reason at all."
Araminta was suspicious. Blake looked like he was wearing a little of the same lipstick Selene had on, and there was glitter on his collar. But they weren't holding hands, so Araminta decided to give them the benefit of the doubt.